[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 115th Congress]
[115th Congress]
[House Document 114-192]
[Front Matter]
[Pages i-iii]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page i]]

114th Congress, 2d Session -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - House Document No. 114-192
 
                                
_______________________________________________________________________


                              CONSTITUTION


                           JEFFERSON'S MANUAL


                                   AND


                          RULES OF THE HOUSE OF


                             REPRESENTATIVES


                          OF THE UNITED STATES


                     ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS


                            THOMAS J. WICKHAM


                             PARLIAMENTARIAN

               



               


                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE


 24-824                   WASHINGTON : 2017

________________________________________________________________________
 
 
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing 
         


                                 Office





                          Washington, DC 20402

  

[[Page iii]]

    


                          HOUSE RESOLUTION 945

                 In the House of Representatives, U.S.,      

                                                     December 6, 2016.  

    Resolved, That a revised edition of the Rules and Manual of the 
House of Representatives for the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress be 
printed as a House document, and that three thousand additional copies 
shall be printed and bound for the use of the House of Representatives, 
of which nine hundred eighty copies shall be bound in leather with thumb 
index and delivered as may be directed by the Parliamentarian of the 
House.

    Attest:

                                                    Karen L. Haas,      


                                                                Clerk.  





[[Page [v]]

                                  (III)


                                 PREFACE

    The House Rules and Manual contains the fundamental source material 
for parliamentary procedure used in the House of Representatives: the 
Constitution of the United States; applicable provisions of Jefferson's 
Manual; Rules of the House (as of the date of this preface); provisions 
of law and resolutions having the force of Rules of the House; and 
pertinent decisions of the Speakers and other presiding officers of the 
House and Committee of the Whole interpreting the rules and other 
procedural authority used in the House of Representatives.

    The rules for the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress were adopted on 
January 3, 2017, when the House agreed to House Resolution 5. In 
addition to a series of changes to various standing rules, House 
Resolution 5 included separate free-standing orders constituting 
procedures to be followed in the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress. 
Explanations of the changes to the standing rules appear in the 
annotations following each rule in the text of this Manual.

    The substantive changes in the standing rules made by House 
Resolution 5 of the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress included:

    (1) authority for the Sergeant-at-Arms to impose a fine for 
unauthorized photography or audio or visual recording or broadcasting in 
the Chamber by a Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner, subject 
to appeal to the Committee on Ethics, and authority for the Chief 
Administrative Officer to deduct a fine from salary otherwise due 
(clause 3(g) of rule II; clause 4(d) of rule II);

    (2) authority for the House, the Speaker, a committee, or a 
committee chair to continue litigation matters authorized in a prior 
Congress (clause 8 of rule II);

    (3) clarification on ownership and control of the records of a 
Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner (clause 6(b) of rule 
VII);

    (4) restatement of the procedure for responding to subpoenas to 
conform to practice (rule VIII);


[[Page [vi]]

    (5) expansion of committee oversight plans to also include plans to 
review and reauthorize programs and agencies with lapsed authorization 
(clause 2(d) of rule X);

    (6) authority for several committees to exceed the limit on the 
number of subcommittees allowed, codifying previous separate orders to 
that effect (clause 5(d) of rule X);

    (7) requirement that committee reports include statement on 
duplicative Federal programs (clause 3(c) of rule XIII);

    (8) clarification of the Ramseyer rule to remove an unintended 
consequence of a change effected in the 114th Congress (clause 3(e) of 
rule XIII);

    (9) authority for the Committee on Homeland Security to close 
additional days of hearings (clause 2(g) of rule XI);

    (10) restriction on disorderly or disruptive conduct in the Chamber 
during legislative proceedings (clause 9 of rule XVII);

    (11) authority for the Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to 
preside over the Committee of the Whole (clause 1 of rule XVIII);

    (12) expansion of the Speaker's authority to postpone votes to 
include the question of adopting a motion to recommit and the question 
of adopting a motion to concur in a Senate amendment (clause 8(a) of 
rule XX);

    (13) clarification on the Speaker's authority to reduce voting time 
on a question arising after a report from the Committee of the Whole or 
on the question of adoption a motion to recommit (clause 9(b) of rule 
XX);

    (14) restriction on an amendment to a general appropriation bill 
proposing a net increase in the level of budget authority in the bill 
(clause 2(g) of rule XXI);

    (15) requirement for a comparative print for any bill, joint 
resolution, or amendment in the nature of a substitute proposing to 
amend or repeal current law showing such changes, and for a comparative 
print for a reported bill or joint resolution showing changes between 
the form of the measure as reported and as considered on the floor 
(effective December 31, 2017) (clause 12 of rule XXI); and

    (16) designation of the document repository operated by the Clerk as 
the location at which documents may be made electronically available for 
purposes of satisfying layover requirements (clause 3 of rule XXIX).

    In addition to the amendments cited above, mobility-based references 
throughout the standing rules were eliminated or replaced with mobility-
neutral language (sec. 2(e), H. Res. 5, Jan. 3, 2017, p. _).

    Citations in this edition refer to:


[[Page [vii]]

Precedents of the House of Representatives of the United States (volumes 
VI through VIII), by volume and section (e.g., V, 5763; VIII, 2852);
    (1) Hinds' Precedents of the House of Representatives of the United 
States (volumes I through V) and Cannon's

    (2) Deschler's Precedents of the U.S. House of Representatives 
(volumes 1 through 9), Deschler-Brown Precedents of the U.S. House of 
Representatives (volumes 10 through 16), Deschler-Brown-Johnson 
Precedents of the U.S. House of Representatives (volume 17), and 
Deschler-Brown-Johnson-Sullivan Precedents of the U.S. House of 
Representatives (volume 18), by chapter and section (e.g., Deschler, ch. 
26, Sec. 79.7; Deschler-Brown, ch. 28, Sec. 4.26);

    (3) the Congressional Record, by date and page (e.g., Jan. 29, 1986, 
p. 684);

    (4) House Practice (2017), by chapter and section (e.g., House 
Practice, ch. 1, Sec. 2);

    (5) Deschler-Brown Procedure in the U.S. House of Representatives 
(4th edition and 1987 supplement), by chapter and section (e.g., 
Procedure, ch. 5, Sec. 8.1);

    (6) the United States Code, by title and section (e.g., 2 U.S.C. 
287); and

    (7) the United States Reports, by volume and page (e.g., 395 U.S. 
486).

    Readers are invited to refer to the prefaces of Hinds', Cannon's, 
and Deschler's Precedents (Volumes I, VI, and 1, respectively) for 
comprehensive overviews by those editors of the procedural history of 
the House of Representatives from 1789 to 1976. Volume 18 of Deschler-
Brown-Johnson-Sullivan Precedents also features a commentary by former 
Parliamentarian Charles W. Johnson, III, noting procedural highlights 
during his affiliation with the House.


    All of the members of the Office of the Parliamentarian - Ethan 
Lauer, Jay Smith, Anne Gooch, Kyle Jones, Julia Cook, Brian Cooper, 
Lloyd Jenkins, and Kristen Donahue, as well as Charles Johnson, Max 
Spitzer, Andrew Neal, Catherine Moran, and Bryan Feldblum - worked 
diligently to annotate the decisions of the Chair and other 
parliamentary precedents of the 114th Congress and of the 115th Congress 
to the date of publication of this edition. Their contributions, and 
their devotion to the pursuit of excellence in the procedural practices 
of the House, are gratefully acknowledged. Particular appreciation goes 
to Ethan Lauer for his initiative and steady hand in managing the 
project.

                                                Thomas J. Wickham, Jr.  




[[Page [ix]]

  May 26, 2017


                                CONTENTS


                               __________

                            THE CONSTITUTION

                                                                    Page
Preamble..........................................................     3

            Article I.--The legislative power.....................     4

                   II.--The executive power.......................    66

                  III.--The judicial power........................    78

                   IV.--Obligations, duties, etc., of the States..    80

                    V.--Amendments to.............................    82

                   VI.--Law of the land, etc......................    84

                  VII.--Ratification of...........................    89

                        Amendments ratified.......................    91

                           JEFFERSON'S MANUAL

            Section I.--Importance of adhering to rules...........   127

                  III.--Privilege.................................   130

                   VI.--Quorum....................................   150

                  VII.--Call of the House.........................   151

                   IX.--Speaker...................................   152

                    X.--Address...................................   154

                   XI.--Committees................................   155

                  XII.--Committee of the Whole....................   158

                 XIII.--Examination of witnesses..................   167

                  XIV.--Arrangement of business...................   172

                   XV.--Order.....................................   174

                  XVI.--Order respecting papers...................   174

                 XVII.--Order in debate...........................   175

                XVIII.--Orders of the House.......................   199

                  XIX.--Petition..................................   202

                   XX.--Motion....................................   204

                  XXI.--Resolutions...............................   205

                XXIII.--Bills, leave to bring in..................   207

                 XXIV.--Bills, first reading......................   207

                  XXV.--Bills, second reading.....................   208

                 XXVI.--Bills, commitment.........................   209


[[Page [x]]

                XXVII.--Report of committee.......................   219

                                                                    Page

       Section XXVIII.--Bill, recommitment........................   220

                 XXIX.--Bills, reports taken up...................   221

                  XXX.--Quasi-committee...........................   223

                 XXXI.--Bill, second reading in the House.........   227

                XXXII.--Reading papers............................   229

               XXXIII.--Privileged questions......................   231

                XXXIV.--The previous question.....................   244

                 XXXV.--Amendments................................   246

                XXXVI.--Division of the question..................   255

               XXXVII.--Coexisting questions......................   258

              XXXVIII.--Equivalent questions......................   259

                XXXIX.--The question..............................   261

                   XL.--Bills, third reading......................   262

                  XLI.--Division of the House.....................   266

                 XLII.--Titles....................................   271

                XLIII.--Reconsideration...........................   272

                 XLIV.--Bills sent to the other House.............   275

                  XLV.--Amendments between the Houses.............   276

                 XLVI.--Conferences...............................   286

                XLVII.--Messages..................................   300

               XLVIII.--Assent....................................   304

                 XLIX.--Journals..................................   307

                    L.--Adjournment...............................   309

                   LI.--A session.................................   311

                  LII.--Treaties..................................   314

                 LIII.--Impeachment...............................   318

                           RULES OF THE HOUSE

               Rule I.--The Speaker...............................   339

                   II.--Other Officers and Officials..............   363

                  III.--The Members, Delegates, and Resident 

                        Commissioner of Puerto Rico...............   385

                   IV.--The Hall of the House.....................   390

                    V.--Broadcasting the House....................   398

                   VI.--Official Reporters and News Media 

                        Galleries.................................   401

                  VII.--Records of the House......................   413

                 VIII.--Response to Subpoenas.....................   417

                   IX.--Questions of Privilege....................   420

                    X.--Organization of Committees................   441

                   XI.--Procedures of Committees and Unfinished 

                        Business..................................   554

                  XII.--Receipt and Referral of Measures and 

                        Matters...................................   623

                 XIII.--Calendars and Committee Reports...........   638

                  XIV.--Order and Priority of Business............   674


[[Page [xi]]

                   XV.--Business in Order on Special Days.........   685

                                                                    Page

             Rule XVI.--Motions and Amendments....................   704

                 XVII.--Decorum and Debate........................   759

                XVIII.--The Committee of the Whole House on the 

                        state of the Union........................   791

                  XIX.--Motions Following the Amendment Stage.....   821

                   XX.--Voting and Quorum Calls...................   837

                  XXI.--Restrictions on Certain Bills.............   868

                 XXII.--House and Senate Relations................   928

                XXIII.--Code of Official Conduct..................   955

                 XXIV.--Limitations on Use of Official Funds......   968

                  XXV.--Limitations on Outside Earned Income and 

                        Acceptance of Gifts.......................   973

                 XXVI.--Financial Disclosure......................  1002

                XXVII.--Disclosure by Members and Staff of 

                        Employment Negotiations...................  1028

               XXVIII.--[Reserved]................................  1029

                 XXIX.--General Provisions........................  1030
Provisions of Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, as Amended by the 

    Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, Applicable to Both Houses
Congressional adjournment.........................................  1035
Preservation of committee hearings................................  1036

                       Joint and Select Committees
Economic Committee, Joint.........................................  1037
Taxation, Joint Committee on......................................  1037
Library, Joint Committee of Congress on the.......................  1038
Printing, Joint Committee on......................................  1038
Inaugural Ceremonies, Joint Congressional Committee on............  1038
Select committees.................................................  1038


[[Page [xii]]

                     House and Congressional Offices
House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards...............  1041
House Office Building Commission..................................  1041
Government Accountability Office..................................  1041
Office of Compliance..............................................  1041
Congressional Research Service....................................  1042
Legislative Counsel...............................................  1042
Congressional Budget Office.......................................  1042
Law Revision Counsel..............................................  1042
Technology Assessment.............................................  1042
Office of the Parliamentarian.....................................  1042
Speaker's Office for Legislative Floor Activities.................  1043

                                                                    Page
Office of Interparliamentary Affairs..............................  1043
House Recording Studio............................................  1043
United States Capitol Preservation Commission.....................  1043
Office of General Counsel.........................................  1043
Former Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness, and Operations.  1044
Office of Attending Physician.....................................  1044
Office of Architect of the Capitol................................  1044
House Democracy Partnership.......................................  1044
Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission................................  1044
Office of Congressional Ethics....................................  1045
Early organization of the House...................................  1047

          Miscellaneous Provisions of Congressional Budget Laws
Congressional Budget Act of 1974..................................  1053
Budget Enforcement Act of 1990....................................  1133
Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010...............................  1137

                  Legislative Procedures Enacted in Law
Measures privileged for consideration in House....................  1141




[[Page [xiii]]

                                  Index
Index.............................................................  1325

                        GENERAL ORDER OF BUSINESS


                                Rule XIV


              First. Prayer by Chaplain.


              Second. Approval of Journal.


              Third. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.


              Fourth. Correction of reference of public bills.


              Fifth. Disposal of business on Speaker's table.


              Sixth. Unfinished business.


              Seventh. The morning hour for the consideration of bills.


              Eighth. Motions to go into Committee of the Whole.


              Ninth. Orders of the day.

                        SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS


Second and fourth Mondays:

                                 Mondays


              Motions to discharge committees. Rule XV, clause 2.


Every Monday:

              District of Columbia Business. Rule XV, clause 4.


              Motions to suspend rules. Rule XV, clause 1.


First and third Tuesdays:

                                Tuesdays

  Private Calendar. Rule XV, clause 5. Individual private bills 

        considered on first Tuesday of each month, omnibus private bills 


Every Tuesday:

        may be considered on third Tuesday of each month.


              Motions to suspend rules. Rule XV, clause 1.


Call of Committees under Calendar Wednesday. Rule XV, clause 6.

Every Wednesday:

                               Wednesdays

              Motions to suspend rules. Rule XV, clause 1.